The Battle of Chicago
by DChan87
Summary: August, 1999; Tokyo isn't the only city to find DigiDestined... or a Digimon battle.
1. It Begins

Summer is awesome, especially if you're 11. There's no school, the days are warm, and it's a great time to be a _kid. _But if summer involves watching hours of Cartoon Network because soccer practice was canceled since the coach had appendicitis, then summer stinks. That's the situation 11-year-old Scott McCarthy found himself in. His parents were out and his little brother was at football practice; American football, not soccer.

There isn't much in Northfield, besides the library. But it was being renovated so he couldn't quite go there all willy-nilly. He could go out and play some soccer, but his friends couldn't do it. They all had previous engagements like camp. Scott did go to day camp over at Sunset Ridge School, but Senior Day Camp was over. It had been over for a while.

So now he was just lying around and being forced to watch bad cartoons. If only there was something else to do, like play his Nintendo 64. But the N64 was broken, so he couldn't use it. Why did Jimmy have to be so rough with it?

Even the dog, Snoopy, a Beagle (surprise, surprise), was bored. Usually he's running around, trying to get Scott or Jimmy to play, but even the lazy summer day had drained him of his energy. Snoopy yawned that dog yawn, the one that all dog owners would recognize.

Scott sighed. He could go to sleep if he wanted to, but he was too bored to even go to sleep! Not even the Disney movies they kept would be enough to entertain him. One option though, would be to go over to Clarkson Park. It's right near his house and Willow Road, so that was an option. He could practice his soccer there.

That's it, he decided. "I'm goin' to Clarkson Park!" He got up and ran upstairs to get his Chicago Fire jersey. Being 11, he had to wear a pretty small jersey. He was especially excited when the Fire started playing. Now he had a team he could actually cheer for. Most of the soccer teams he already liked—Manchester United, AC Milan—were far away. Even the other MLS teams weren't close enough.

He still liked the other Chicago teams, though. A big poster of Michael Jordan and his wingspan graced his and Jimmy's bedroom wall. He was pretty much like a _god _to them; of course, this being the Chicago area in the '90s, they weren't the only ones. He liked the Bears, the Bulls, the Blackhawks and the White Sox—there are two teams in the city. Liking the team on the North Side is a cliché. The fact Scott lived in the Northern suburbs didn't matter; his dad, who was a sports writer for the _Tribune_, was a White Sox fan. He raised his sons well.

Scott got his Fire jersey on, put on some shoes, grabbed a ball and ran out the door. Well, his bedroom door, anyway. He ran to the TV room first to change the channel. His mom liked to watch NBC 5 when she got back, so he decided to change it there. But, if he got back before the news, it would be fine.

The news was on, but something was wrong. There seemed to be some panic on the TV screen. Being 11, he wasn't quite sure what in the world was going on. It just seemed weird to him. But, that would change.

"_We are receiving reports of monsters attacking downtown. We are unsure about the reports, but the Loop, the Lakefront and the rest of downtown have been evacuated, anyway._"

Monsters? Scott's blue eyes widened. He ran his hand through his brown hair as he thought about what it could be. Why were monst—oh, no. Oh, no! "They've begun," he said. "They've begun the attack!"

Scott dropped the ball and ran upstairs. His body was lithe and small, but not too small. He was a budding soccer player, after all. It was pretty athletic for an 11-year-old. His face was slender and he had a fair skin tone. But a bit of a tan was starting to creep in from spending time in Florida.

But right now, there were more important matters at hand. He had to do something about the monsters attacking the city, and do it _now_.

He ran into his room and started throwing things around. He needed to find what he was looking for fast. Otherwise, he couldn't take care of the matters downtown. "Where is it?" He asked himself. "Now where did I—oh, right!" He rushed over to his pillow and looked under it. Sure enough—"My Digivice! Gaomon!"

"What?" A blue, dog-like creature wearing boxing gloves and a red headband stepped out of Scott's closet. "What's going on?" At the same time, Scott grabbed his Grandpa's old World War II helmet.

"The city's under attack!" he said as he put the helmet on. It actually fit him pretty snugly. "I was afraid of this! This is why we came back home!"

"You mean—"

"Daemon's attack is on!"

"Oh, dang!" said Gaomon. Now the little dog-like Digimon was ready to go. "Are we going to call everyone?"

"Duh!" Scott replied as only an 11-year-old can. They rushed downstairs and Scott turned off the TV. Scott took the opportunity to pick up the phone and start dialing. "Helen! It's Scott! The attack is on! Get over here with Aquilamon, now!"

"_I'm on it!"_ The girl on the other end replied. The click of a phone hanging up could be heard and Scott quickly dialed up the next person.

"Hello, is Julius there?"

"_Who is this?"_ The person on the other end asked.

"Just tell him it's Scott, and we have an emergency!"

"_Alright!_" The person on the other end replied. "_JULIUS! GET THE PHONE, NOW!_ _SOMEONE NAMED SCOTT, HE SAYS THERE'S AN EMERGENCY!"_ Some stumbling was heard on the other end.

"_Hello?_"

"Julius, are you watching the news?"

"_No,_" said Julius.

"The attack is on! Daemon's flunkies are attacking downtown!"

"_Oh, snap!_" Julius barked. "_I'll try to get downtown as fast as I can!_"

"Okay!" Just then, he heard some wings flapping outside. His ride must have shown up. "Listen, I'm going with Helen. Call everyone else, okay?"

"_No diggity_," said Julius. The other end clicked and Scott hung the phone up.

"Gaomon, let's go!"

"Right!" The two rushed out of the house just as a large, red, hawk-like Digimon touched down in the backyard.

"HELEN!"

"Scott, come on!" said Helen Meyers. Just like Scott, she's 11 years old. But she had long, red hair and blue eyes. She wore a pink t-shirt. Scott took her hand and she pulled him up on the bird's back along with Gaomon. "Aquilamon, let's go!" she said. Aquilamon flapped his wings and took off.

The flight downtown was tense and frantic. They could feel the wind off Lake Michigan blowing in the faces as they approached the city. They were tense; they'd been in tough situations before in the Digital World. They are Digi-Destined, after all. "Do you have your Crest with you?" Helen asked.

"Duh!" Scott replied, pulling it out. Helen smiled. Scott held the Crest of Determination. It certainly fit him. Helen, meanwhile, bore the Crest of Empathy. Julius, the kid on the phone earlier, holds the Crest of Honor.

"Do you think everyone will know what to do?" Helen shouted.

"I think so," Scott replied.

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I mean, we went over it like a gajillion times," said Scott.

"Jeez, no one's gonna believe a buncha kids are going to save Chicago," said Helen.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. "Who are these kids and why should we care about them?" Well, they do have to save the entire city of Chicago from forces they can't explain, so there's one thing. But if you look a little closer, you'll recognize one of the names: Scott McCarthy. "So? Who's he? Some schmuck?" Well, not quite. In case you've read some of my… well, I can't really ruin that. Let's just say you should stick with the story. I know you probably should have seen an actual story by now, but if you stick around, you might come to care about them.

Anyway, Scott and Helen were getting closer to the target zone. They were flying over city, marveling at the angle. This was an angle they'd seen before in airplanes going to Disney World. The streets were barren. The CPD must have done a good job of evacuating the place. It's likely most people had no idea why they were being evacuated. The only time the streets would be this barren would be two years later… on a certain September day.

But right now, the Towers are still standing. And they had more important issues at hand. Aquilamon began to descend as the target area approached. "We're almost there!" said Helen. The target area was in sight; Buckingham Fountain. Yeah, it's a little cliché and all, with it being at the beginning of _Married… With Children_, but it's a recognizable enough symbol and easy to find, so it made sense.

They were right over the fountain and Aquilamon touched down on the gravel. Scott and Gaomon jumped down first. Helen came next. After that, Aquilamon reverted back into Hawkmon. There were already people there. Since the city was barren, you can probably guess they're the rest of the Chicagoland Digi-Destined.

"Is everyone here?" Scott asked, just to be sure.

"_Yeah!_"

"Think I'll just try and make sure," he said. "Julius Rodgers!"

"Here!" Julius is an African-American kid from the Bronzeville neighborhood. He's athletic, just like Scott; he's a basketball player. His partner is a Kotemon and he holds the Crest of Honor.

"Rosa Maria Marquez!"

"Here!" she said. She's a Mexican girl from the Pilsen neighborhood. She had short black hair and wore a Mexico soccer shirt. She's younger than the others, around 7. Her partner just happened to be a Gatomon. She held the Crest of Consideration.

"Joey Wolarski!"

"Here!" he said. He was taller than the other kids; he was actually a year older than Scott. He had dark blond hair. He held the Crest of Trust and his partner was a Terriermon.

"Patrick Maroney!"

"Here!" He's an Irish kid, like Scott, but from the Beverley neighborhood. He's about the same age and body type as Scott. He holds the Crest of Loyalty and his partner was a Dracomon.

"Rudy Berkman!"

"Here!" He's a year younger than the other kids with neat, black hair. He's the brains of the operation, and as such, he held the Crest of Creativity. His partner is an Elecmon.

"Mikey Wolarski!"

"I'm right here!" he said. He's the youngster of the group, about 8 years old. He's Joey's younger brother. He held the Crest of Faith, one of the special crests. Note that it doesn't mean religious faith, just faith in general. His partner was a Patamon.

Now, you should probably care about these kids. They've been through hell and high water in the Digital World and they've grown together like best friends over the course of their time in the Digi World. They were sucked into the Digi World individually, not as a group at Summer Camp.

"Alright, we're all here then!" said Scott. "You guys know the plan?"

"_Yeah!_"

"Helen, Rosa!"

"We go Northwest," said Helen.

"Joey, Rudy!"

"We're going southwest," said Joey.

"Patrick! Mikey!"

"South!" said Patrick. "We heard some people are at the McCormick Center."

"Okay, let's synchronize our watches." They gathered together. Quickly synching their watches up, they broke up. Remember, this is before cell phones were really widespread. Oh, some of them had cell phones, but it was pretty rare for a kid to have one. "Alright! Let's do this! Glory, glory, Digi-Destined!"

"_YEAH!" _The group spread out, their objectives firmly in their minds. They paired up and spread out. Scott was left with Julius.

"Alright, let's go!" he said.

"Right!" The two took off for the North. This is the direction they would take. The mysterious enemies attacking the city wouldn't know what hit them when these two got to them.

They didn't get very far.

Suddenly, they heard menacing laughter. They looked around, wondering who was there. They weren't entirely sure, but they had a pretty good idea. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A black, winged Digimon descended upon them. The two recoiled in shock at who it was.

"_Devimon!_"

"I'm glad you recognize me!" he said.

(Digimon Analyzer)

"I am Devimon, the Evil Digimon! When hapless souls look into my eyes, they fall under my command!"

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Now then, prepare to die!"

"Not so fast!" said Scott. He pulled out his Digivice and Julius did the same. "Go, Gaomon!"

"Get 'im, Kotemon!"

"_Got it!_"

"Gaomon, Digivolve to…"

"Kotemon, Digivolve to…"

"Gaogamon!"

"DinoHyumon!"

(Digimon Analyzer)

"I'm Gaogamon, the Fighting Dog Digimon. I'm fast like the wind, and my punches are faster!"

"And I'm Dinohyumon, the Dragon Man Digimon! When I use my Lizard Dance attack, my opponents better get out of the way!"

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Get 'im, Gaogamon!"

"Go! Dinohyumon!"

The two Digimon growled and rushed Devimon. The devil Digimon just smiled evilly. He wasn't afraid of these two. "Death Hand!" Evil energy flowed from his hands. It struck the two Digimon and their attack was cut short right there.

"Gagogamon!"

"Dinohyumon!"

"We're alright," said Dinohyumon. "We've faced worse." Scott and Julius sighed in relief. Then, they had to scatter when Devimon flew right at them. Yeah, he fights like that. "Hey! Don't attack them!"

"All's fair in war, scum!" Devimon replied. Dinohyumon and Gaogamon didn't take too kindly to this and got right back up. They charged the dark Digimon and prepared to attack.

"Lizard Dance!"

"Dash Double Claw!"

Devimon didn't even break a sweat. He just waved his arm and the two Digimon were knocked to the side. Devimon grinned evilly. "Now, then where—THEY'RE GONE!"

"Oh, jeez, he found out!" said Scott. "RUN!" Now these two are not cowards. In a sense, they're sticking to the plan. And who really wants to get hit with an evil attack?

"THERE you are!" He shouted and flew over to the two. He prepared to attack, but he suddenly screamed out in agony. He looked behind to see Gaogamon had bit his arm and wasn't letting go. "Let go, NOW!"

"Mno way!" Gaogamon replied with a mouthful of Devimon arm.

"Lizard Dance!" Using those swords of his, Dinohyumon hacked and slashed at Devimon. He screamed and fell to the ground, face full of gravel. By now, Scott and Julius were at the Art Institute. But they had a view of the action. It was mainly to be at a safe distance.

"_YEAH!" _

Dinohyumon and Gaogamon had turned the tables on Devimon. Now he was on the defensive. They were aggressive, not letting this evil Digimon get the upper hand. Dinohyumon thrust one of his blades at Devimon, the swung downwards. Gaogamon bit at his wing. Devimon avoided both attacks, but Gaogamon got on his hind legs like a bear. He swung his big paw and knocked Devimon to the side. Scott and Julius cheered in the background.

Devimon growled as he got up from the rubble. Gaogamon and Dinohyumon ran over to him. However, Devimon wasn't willing to let the two stop him just yet. He raised his hand at Scott and Julius. "Don't move or I'll—"

"Double Dash Claw!" He must have forgotten Gaogamon's pretty fast, because he put an end to that threat instantly.

Meanwhile, Helen and Rosa had little trouble of their own. Hawkmon had digivolved to Aquilamon and now they were headed in the direction of the Loop and the Sears Tower (its real name, dammit!). Rosa held on Gatomon (although since she's female, she's be referred to as 'Gatamon', since it's more accurate). "There's some right there!" Rosa shouted over the wind.

"Okay!" said Helen. "Aquilamon, dive!"

"You got it! GRAND HORN!" Aquilamon dove at the Bakemon. They took notice and tried to flee, but Aquilamon plowed right through the Bakemon.

"YEAH!" Aquilamon regained altitude and prepared to dive again.

"GRAND HORN!" Aquilamon dove again and took out the remaining Bakemon. A confident Helen and Rosa celebrated.

"Well, that took care of them!" said Helen.

But, this is _Digimon_. Nothing is certain.

Out of nowhere, a black figure flew in. Aquilamon only noticed it at the last second and just barely dodged the figure. Helen and Rosa were nearly thrown off Aquilamon, but they held on. "What was that?" Rosa asked.

"I don't know," Helen replied. "Alright, who are you?" The figure cackled as she floated down to meet the two.

"I thought you would have recognized me," she said menacingly.

(Digimon Analyzer)

"I'm LadyDevimon. I'm a purely evil soldier and don't expect me to show you any mercy."

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Now then, prepare to DIE!" She was about to release her attack, but Rosa had other things in mind.

"Forget it! Gatamon, go!"

"Got it! Gatamon, Digivolve to… Angewomon!" LadyDevimon didn't get a chance to unleash her attack. Angewomon let the evil Digimon have it, a hard right hook to the cheek, sending LadyDevimon flying. "I'll handle her," the Angelic Digimon, who _is not the same individual _as the one from Japan (I know what you're thinking!).

"Alright," said Helen. "Aquilamon, let's go! Madison!"

"You got it!" Aquilamon replied. He turned mid-air (and by the way, this is not the same Hawkmon/Aquilamon as the one in _02_) and flew in the direction of the United Center.

The fight between Angewomon and LadyDevimon, meanwhile, had turned into an aerial duel. It was like an old WWII dogfight, but with two female Digimon… who happened to be grabbing each other's hair and calling each other a with. It seems these two species always have a history. "Come on Blondie, fight harder!" LadyDevimon taunted.

"I'll show you, you… witch!" Angewomon replied.

"Hey, that's not nice," LadyDevimon replied. "Especially to real witches."

"Be QUIET!" Angewomon shouted, punching LadyDevimon right in the face. LadyDevimon was certainly not happy and she unleashed her attack.

"Evil Wing!"

While they flew to the United Center, Rosa couldn't help but look back at the fight between LadyDevimon and Angewomon. "I hope Angewomon can handle her," he said.

"Don't worry," said Helen. "Angewomon can handle herself. Now then, hold on tight, we're going in!"

"GRAND HORN!" Aquilamon dove again and barreled through the dark Digimon. They didn't stand a chance against his speed and power, turning into Digi-dust on impact. Helen and Rosa cheered.

"Take that, Digi-punks!" said Helen.

"How do you think Angewomon's doing?" Rosa asked, her focus turning back to her partner.

"Tell you what, why don't we go see her?" Helen asked. Rosa nodded her head. "Aquilamon, let's go help Angewomon!"

"Right!"

It didn't look good for Angewomon. LadyDevimon had her on the ropes, and by the hair—literally! She looked like a hammer toss contestant with Angewomon's hair. "And away we go!" she said as she flung Angewomon. The Angelic Digimon recovered and flew right back at her. They collided in mid-air just as Helen and Rosa got within view.

"Oh no, Angewomon!" said Rosa.

"Aquilamon, do something!"

"GRAND—"

"No, wait!" Helen paused. LadyDevimon was too focused on Angewomon to notice Aquilamon approaching. "Let's do this differently." Aquilamon nodded his head. He knew what Helen was talking about.

Angewomon (unfortunately for her) kept distracting LadyDevimon. The sadistic fallen angel was having a little too much fun with her. "I'm getting tired of this, fight me already!" she shouted. Angewomon angrily lunged at her and slapped her right cheek. This fight devolved into a slapping match while Aquilamon stealthily approached. He was waiting for the opportunity.

Luckily for him, Angewomon noticed them. She smiled lightly enough that LadyDevimon didn't notice. This was Aquilamon's signal to attack. He quietly approached. "What are you doing, you know you can't stop me!" said LadyDevimon.

"I don't care!" said Angewomon. Then, she broke away. LadyDevimon was left in confusion.

This is, until Aquilamon struck. The two DigiDestined cheered as LadyDevimon fell to the earth.

Joey and Rudy had it a little easier, though. Most of the baddies they had to fight were weak Bakemon. Why they were out in the middle of the Chicago summer was beyond them. "Gargo Pellets!"

"Fist of the Beast King!"

If you'd guessed Gargomon and Leomon are their partners, you'd be correct. For once, Leomon has not died and will not die any time soon. Of course, why the brains of the operation would be partnered with a Leomon is another question that just can't be answered.

"That's right, Leomon, show 'em no mercy!" Rudy shouted. Leomon continued his assault on the Bakemon. He let Gargomon have his turn at the Bakemon. The rain of bullets took out each Bakemon and Leomon went back to bitchslapping the Bakemon.

"Gargomon, we need to get moving!" said Joey. "Give us some covering fire!"

"You got it!" Gargomon replied.

"Rudy, get on my shoulder," said Leomon. The little guy was lifted onto Leomon's shoulder. Joey followed and Leomon exited. "Gargomon, we must go!"

"I'm coming!" Gargomon replied, finishing up his covering fire. The quartet made a quick exit and headed for the Southwest. They cleared out as many enemy Digimon as they could. If there were any people left in the city, their job was to rescue them. For the moment, they did not see anyone in trouble. Things were clear.

But you should know they have something waiting for them. This time, however, they were alert.

"Leomon, we've got trouble!" Rudy shouted. Leomon looked up to see something coming and fast.

"Joey, Rudy, get down," he said as he helped them off his shoulders. "Gargomon, get ready!"

"Got it!" he said, aiming his arms at the object. The object crashed into the pavement and Leomon and Gargomon dodged out of the way. "Looks like one of Daemon's flunkies," said Gargomon.

The enemy stood up. The enemy glared at Leomon and Gargomon. Poor Gargomon was shaking but Leomon placed his hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm," he said. "Don't show fear." Duskmon growled and took his dark sword out.

"Rudy, who is that?" Joey asked, his voice shaking.

"Hold on," said Rudy. The Izzy expy typed away at the computer.

(Digimon Analyzer)

"It's Duskmon! And he's a nasty one! His worst attack is his Lunar Plasma."

(End Digimon Analyzer)

Right on cue, "Lunar Plasma!" Duskmon raised and lowered his swords, forming a crescent shape. Then, he charged at Leomon and Gargomon. Leomon stood fast, drawing his sword.

"Beast Sword!" he easily blocked Duskmon's attack.

"Gargo Pellets!" Gargomon got over his fear pretty quickly and showered Duskmon with bullets. It did affect Duskmon, if only temporarily. But it was enough for Leomon to strike. Leomon's strike was enough to throw Duskmon 15 feet away. But Leomon did not back down. Instead, he rushed Duskmon and aggressively attacked the evil Digimon. Gargomon backed him up with his Gargo Pellets.

Leomon's assault continued and Duskmon found himself flying into one of the buildings on Michigan Avenue. The angry Digimon growled as Leomon sauntered up to him. "I will give you an offer of mercy," he said. "Give up now and I will not destroy you."

"Lunar Plasma!" Duskmon shouted, charging Leomon. Leomon stepped aside and tripped Duskmon up.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," he said.

Duskmon growled at Leomon while the lion Digimon approached him. The sun was weakening him. But the shade was where he was best. And he just happened to be in the shade. "Come and get me," he said. Rudy felt a chill go up his spine.

"Why should I?" Leomon asked. Duskmon got up and taunted Leomon. Gargomon almost took the bait. But Leomon is an expert fighter. "Don't. He's baiting us." Instead, Leomon drew his fist back. "Fist of the Beast King!"

"Gargo Pellets!"

Patrick and Mikey's mission was more of a rescue mission, not search-and-destroy. The rumors of people being held hostage at McCormick Center were enough to make them go. And Scott trusted them enough to let them go this way.

They rode on Patrick's Coredramon. Patamon rode on Mikey's head. The little guy held onto Patrick as tight as he could. It didn't take long to reach the grounds of the McCormick Center. They were greeted by the mook Mons, Bakemon. "Kunai Wing!" Peckmon unleashed his feathers at the Bakemon and they were either disintegrated, knocked out or they high-tailed it out of there.

"Take that!" said Mikey.

"Coredramon, let's get inside," said Patrick.

"You got it!" he replied.

"Patamon, I know you can do it," said Mikey.

"Patrick, Mikey, get ready," said Coredramon. "I'm going to break the glass!"

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Patrick asked.

"Trust me," said Coredramon.

"Patamon, get ready!" said Mikey.

"Okay!" said Patamon. He got off Mikey's head while Coredramon burst through the glass doors. The Bakemon and other dark Digimon attacked as soon as they bust through. "Patamon, Digivolve to… Angemon!" The quartet ran and flew into the main hall in front of the convention hall. The large glass windows were blacked out, providing the Bakemon with some power.

"Blue Flare Breath!"

"Hand of Fate! GRGH!"

The Bakemon did not know what hit them. Angemon and Coredramon's attacks were too much and they were destroyed… well, the sentries were, anyway. Once they were gone, the main thrust of the enemy's defense was unleashed on them. Patrick and Mikey hoped off Coredramon for safety while he and Angemon got to work. They provided cover for Patrick and Mikey to run to the main convention hall.

"Crash Charge!"

"Angel Rod!"

"Mikey, come on!" said Patrick. He grabbed Mikey's hand and ran to the convention hall.

That's when they met the big boss.

"Where do you think you're going?" An eerie voice called to them. They stopped and watched Phantomon descend upon them.

(Digimon Analyzer)

"I am Phantomon, a Ghost Digimon. If you want to lose your soul, my Soul Chopper technique will take care of that."

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Mikey, get away from him!" Angemon shouted. But Mikey was like so many kids in movies, completely unable to move out of fear while Phantomon raised his scythe and prepared to attack. But Angemon was not going to just stand there, nosiree. "Angel Rod!" He threw his rod at Phantomon. The rod hit him right between the eyes. Patrick and Mikey took the opportunity to run into the convention hall.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own species?" Coredramon taunted.

"You're not my species either," said Phantomon. Like Coredramon actually cared.

"Blue Flare Breath!"

"Hand of Fate! GRAH!" Phantomon batted the kunais away while he dodged Angemon's attack. But, Angemon flew up to Phantomon's level and punched him. Down below, Mikey and Patrick ran through the Bakemon with Peckmon providing cover for them. Once they were through, he turned his attention back to Phantomon. He was dodging Angemon's kicks and punches like they were nothing. But it did give Peckmon and opportunity.

"Blue Flare Breath!" He released attack at the distracted Phantomon. Of course Phantomon heard him, so he blocked the breath with the scythe he's got.

"Soul Chopper!" he cried, sending his attack at Coredramon. But Angemon jumped in between the attack and Coredramon, using his staff to block it. Then, he launched himself at Phantomon.

"Dash Double Claw!"

"Lizard Dance!" Gaogamon and Dinohyumon let loose on the Bakemon at Daley Plaza. They'd managed to shake Devimon and begun to focus on their part of the seek-and-destroy mission. They tossed the Bakemon around the plaza, just missing the Picasso in the middle. "There's a lot of 'em here," said Dinohyumon.

"Who cares?" said Gaogamon. The plaza, made famous by the _Blues Brothers_, had certainly never seen anything like this. One Bakemon flew over to Gaogamon, but the big dog Digimon grabbed it in his big jaws and tossed it to the side. Then, he stood up like a bear and punched one of the Bakemon.

Scott and Julius were watching from across Dearborn Street. Again, it was best they stay out of the way of the action. They were, of course, cheering their Digimon on. Scott checked off Daley Plaza off the list. The Art Institute had been crossed out. Now State Street and North Michigan Avenue were next. It was time to move on. "Gaogamon, Dinohyumon, we've gotta get going!" he said.

"You got it!" Gaogamon replied. Scott and Julius ran up to their Digimon. Scott jumped on Gaogamon's back and Julius was lifted onto Dinohyumon's shoulder.

The trip to State Street was leisurely and easy. There were few Bakemon on the way, but State Street was swarmed with them. Once they crossed onto the street, Scott and Julius were let down while Gaogamon and Dinohyumon attacked.

"Lizard Dance!"

"Dash Double Claw!" Both Digimon let loose on the Bakemon. None of them had any idea what hit them and they fell like dominoes. Fighting Bakemon during the day is easy, but the sheer number of them was starting to tire them out, only slightly. The Bakemon just came to them, though.

"That's the way, Dinohymon!" said Julius. "But don't you think we should be—"

"You got the stereo?" Scott asked.

"I have the tape," said Julius. Scott sighed in disappointment. But then he noticed a boombox that was dropped by one of the Bakemon. Who knew Digimon were into looting?

"We can use that," he said as he picked it up. "Come on; let's start with Marshal Field's."

"Sounds good," said Julius. The two kids ran through the carnage and into Marshal Field's. As soon as they came in, they started playing the _Bakemon lose your power _mantra. Julius held the boombox up and the Bakemon fell like flies. They came across some shoppers being held hostage. It was a little confusing for them but the sheer strangeness of the day was enough already. They took off as soon as they were freed.

It didn't take long for Scott and Julius to rescue everyone. They were all in a central location, anyway. But the two split up to find any others. Scott took a look around the electronics department. There were no Bakemon around and no other hostages. So far, so good.

He came across some TVs showing news coverage of the attack. The anchors weren't sure what was going on. The only ones who really knew were a bunch of 11-year-old kids. No one's ever gonna believe them!

He watched the TV for a while before they changed the picture. It was of… oh, no! "That's dad's office building!" he said. The building?

The Tribune Tower.

"_We have received a call that our colleagues at the Tribune Tower are being held hostage by strange creatures,"_ said the anchor. "_We'll bring you reports as time goes on. The caller said the sports staff was being held hostage._"

"DAD!" He shouted. He panicked and rushed out of the department.

"Scott, have you—hey, wait!" Julius didn't have time to find out what was going on. Scott ran past him. "Scott, come back!" He shouted.

But Scott didn't listen and he was out the door in a heartbeat. But unfortunately, he came face to face with Devimon. He'd followed them and laid waste to Gaogamon and Dinohyumon. Devimon turned to Scott. His sadistic smile froze Scott to the bone. "_There _you are," he said. "DIE!" Just then—"GAAH!" Gaogamon jumped up and bit down on Devimon's arm.

"Scott, run!" He shouted. Scott didn't even bother to hesitate and he took off in the direction of the Tribune Tower.

"Scott, wait!" Julius called as he rushed out of the building. "Darn! Dinohyumon!"

"What is it?" he asked.

"Scott took off, we have to get him!"

"Here, climb on," said Dinohyumon. Julius climbed on Dinohyumon's shoulder. While Gaogamon and Devimon fought, the two chased after Scott.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

To be continued

Okay, sorry about the cliffhanger, but I was running out of room. I should get chapter 2 up.

And I know what some of you are thinking. "Who is Scott McCarthy?" Well, for some he should be familiar. He's a character in my stories "Stern Des Sudens" and "It's a Grand Old Team to Play For" (under the name Scott Michaels). This is essentially part of his backstory in "Stern Des Sudens". Go, read it, right now.


	2. Scott's Mission

Scott panted as he ran down the Michigan Avenue Bridge. He could hear explosions in the background, far away. His teammates must have been busy. He rushed along the barren bridge. The CPD had evacuated downtown Chicago by now and there was no cop in sight. But there was someone who was in big trouble. He had to get to them no, otherwise things would get worse for them. He didn't want to think of the consequences. He had to get going; NOW.

He stopped as he watched Helen's Aquilamon fly overhead. Looks like Helen had things taken care of. Then, another Digimon flew past. This must have been one of the enemy's flunkies. But as long as the others had things under control, he could be assured things were okay.

Sweat soaked his Chicago Fire shirt. He had the bad sense to wear a soccer jersey in August, especially a hot day. But he didn't have time to worry about that, he just had to get to the Tribune Tower, fast. And he wasn't too far away. It probably didn't help that he was wearing his grandpa's old helmet.

He finally got past the bridge and onto Pioneer Court. It was just another couple hundred feet until he could reach the Tower. The holder of the Crest of Determination wasn't going to stop that easily. He was so close; tired, but close.

Suddenly, something appeared in his peripheral vision. He looked to see something coming closer. He panicked and jumped out of the way. The object crashed not too far away, throwing dust and rocks up. Scott covered his mouth with his shirt. He waited until the dust had settled to remove it and get up. He wiped some of the dust out of his brown hair. His mom had combed it that morning and she was going to be mad when she found it was filled with dust.

But that wasn't the problem. He looked to see the object that crashed near him lying in the pavement. "Gaogamon!" He rushed over to his Digimon partner struggling to get up. "Gaogamon, come on! Get up!"

"Ow," Gaogamon moaned. As least he wasn't dead.

"What happened?"

"Devimon threw me," he said. "Hard."

"Hang in there," said Scott. He looked around to try and find Gaogamon's opponent. The Champion-level Digimon slowly got up, the dust still clinging to his blue fur.

"I'm trying," said Gaogamon. "I'm not sure if I can hold him off."

"I just have to get to my dad," said Scott. "I wish Daemon hadn't picked today to attack Chicago.

"He's Daemon," said Gaogamon. "We can't do anything about it."

"I guess you're right," said Scott. He wiped his forehead. He looked around to see where Devimon was. He was no where to be seen.

"SCOTT!" He turned to see a person around his age riding a Dinohyumon. Scott stood up and waved in response.

"Julius, over here!" The Dinohyuman got closer and the rider got off. Julius looked unhappy.

"Scott, why did you just run off?" Julius asked. "This is crazy!"

"My dad's being held hostage," said Scott. "I was going to go help him."

"I know that, but you can't stop those Bakemon without a partner!" said Julius. At that moment, Gaogamon changed shape, reverting to a Gaomon.

"How did that happen?" Scott asked.

"I'm tired," said Gaomon.

"Forget it," said Scott. "At least we can—"

"Can what?" A dark voice interrupted. The two looked to see a Devimon floating down to the Wrigley Building clock tower. "I'm not letting you go anywhere!"

"Scott, Dinohyumon and I can handle this," said Julius. He showed his Crest of Honor to Scott. Scott nodded in understanding.

"Alright," he said. Then, Julius handed the boombox to Scott.

"Dinohyumon!" Julius shouted. His crest glowed and Dinohyumon began to Digivolve.

"Dinohyumon, digivolve to… Knightmon!" Knightmon appeared and prepared itself.

"Gaomon, let's go!"

"Got it!" The two took off to the Tribune Tower while Knightmon engaged Devimon. Neither of them looked back; it would just slow them down. They had a goal in mind already.

They rushed into the Tower. Immediately a swarm of Bakemon attacked them. But with a recording of the "_Bakemon lose your power_" mantra,the Bakemon were taken care of. Getting to the elevators was easy and all Scott had to do was find the elevators that went to the Sports bureau. That's where his dad would be.

After a calm elevator ride, the two got off and got back to work. The recording was played again and the Bakemon dropped to the floor. Suddenly, there was an explosion outside and Scott ran over to the window. Knightmon and Devimon were locked in combat. He hoped Julius could handle Devimon. Knowing him, he wouldn't be beaten that easily. But he needed to get moving. NOW!

Eventually he found the sports bureau. The room was filled with Bakemon surrounding the Tribune's Sports staff. Scott and Gaomon stopped. They hid from the Bakemon. They must not have figured out there was a kid and his Digimon storming the tower. This was giving them an advantage. "We can't just rush in there," said Scott.

"Yes we can!" said Gaomon. "We have the recording."

"Yeah, but—oh, no. Jimmy!" To his horror, his little brother was among the hostages. And from the looks of it, he was petrified. Wait, he's supposed to be at football practice? Never mind, Scott had to save him. "Right," said Scott. "Alright, let's get 'em! HEY BAKEMON!" The two jumped in the room and pressed "play".

"_Bakemon lose your power! Bakemon lose your power! Bakemon lose your power!_" The Bakemon fell to the ground as the two rushed the newsroom. The two found Jimmy and dad, Jimmy's face showing excitement.

"Scottie!" The eight-year-old shouted.

"Scott?" Their father, Bob McCarthy, said. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to—what is that thing?"

"I am not a thing!" said Gaomon.

"He's called 'Gaomon'," said Scott. "He's a Digimon, like those things attacking the city."

"But he could be—"

"Dad, it's fine, he's with me," Scott interrupted. "And we have others on our side."

"I hope you're right," said Bob. "I know you're only 11, but you've been so mature."

"Thanks dad," said Scott. "Now we have to get everyone out of here."

With Scott and Gaomon leading the way, the sports staff was safely evacuated from the building. Some of the Bakemon had gotten back up and some new Bakemon had come in. They were easily dispatched, too. Just like a good evacuation plan says, they took the stairs to get out of the building. It took a while, but they found their way out and back onto the street. "Which way?" said Bob.

"The Mag Mile," said Scott. Bob nodded and the rest of the sports staff went up the Magnificent Mile. Bob and Jimmy however, remained with Scott.

"Scott," said Bob. "Are you sure you can handle yourself?"

"I'm eleven, dad," he said. "I can do fine on my own."

"Scottie can handle himself!" said Jimmy.

"Jimmy, I'm not sure if you're part of this discussion," said Bob.

"Dad, I've done this before!" said Scott. "I can handle myself."

"Of course he can!" said Jimmy. Bob stood there, looking over his two sons. Scott had a look of determination on his face. Jimmy showed eagerness and energy. They certainly contrasted in personality, even though they shared some mutual traits. But, Bob had to admit his sons could handle themselves.

"Alright," he said. "Go ahead. This is your job, isn't it?" Scott smiled. "Wait until your mother hears about this."

"I'll explain," said Scott.

"Scottie, can I go with you?" Jimmy begged. "Dad, can I go?"

"I'm not sure," said Bob. "I mean, after the near-accident, I'm not sure if I should let Jimmy out of my sight."

"I can take care of him, dad," said Scott. An explosion behind them reminded them he needed to get going.

"Alright," said Bob. "But you have to make sure he doesn't get hurt, otherwise there will be hell to pay."

"Um, okay," Scott said nervously. But then, Bob handed his cell phone to Scott.

"I have my pager with me. Call me if you need anything." Scott nodded. Bob took the opportunity to run up the Mag Mile.

Scott turned his attention to Knightmon and Devimon. He pulled out his Digivice and Jimmy's eyes widened. "Gaomon, you ready?"

"Ready!" said Gaomon. Scott's Digivice flashed and Gaomon rushed forward. "Gaomon Digivolve to… Gaogamon!"

"Go get that lousy excuse of a Digimon, Gaogamon!" Scott shouted. Gaogamon growled and bounded over to the spot where Devimon and Knightmon were fighting. "Jimmy, stay with me," Scott said as the two ran over to Julius. "Julius!"

"About time you got here!" Julius shouted. "Who's he?"

"This is my little brother Jimmy," said Scott. A growl alerted them to the fight going on between Devimon, Gaogamon and Knightmon. "GET 'IM GAOGAMON!"

"You can do it, Knightmon!"

Gaogamon pounced on Devimon. The devil Digimon thrashed around, trying to throw Gaogamon off. He succeeded and whacked Knightmon, knocking him down. He looked around and spotted Jimmy. An evil smile crossed his face. "So you think you can stop me?" He said. "I'll show you! GRAH!" he launched himself at little Jimmy, who didn't even notice the devilish Digimon approach.

"NO, JIMMY!"

"Berserk Sword!"

"Double Dash Claw!" The two unleashed their attacks. Devimon howled in agony and disintegrated. Easy to say, Jimmy was utterly shocked. The kid stood in front of the Tribune Tower shaking in his little shoes. Tears formed in his eyes. His lip quivered and Scott couldn't help but feel guilty about what happened.

"You… killed it," Jimmy said quietly. Scott put his hands on his little brother's shoulders. His face showed guilt and sadness.

"Jimmy, I'm sorry," he said. "But we had to. He would have destroyed more of the city and more people could have been hurt."

"Why didn't you just send him home?" Jimmy wailed.

"We don't know how to," said Scott. "But I think killing an evil Digimon is the least of our worries."

"Who are you and what have you done to my brother?" Jimmy shouted. Now his words really hurt and Scott was close to tears himself.

"Jimmy, he was about to kill you!" he said. "We had to do something! I nearly lost you that one time, but I couldn't let that happen again." Jimmy's hysterics stopped. But he still didn't look like he was ready to forgive Scott just yet. Scott was a little happier, but he was afraid his relationship with his brother was damaged in such a short amount of time.

Meanwhile, Knightmon reverted back to his Rookie-level form Kotemon. Julius tapped Scott and on the shoulder. "We need to get moving. What's the rendezvous point, again?"

"Got it," said Scott. "We'll have to call everyone. I assume they're still alive, since none of the other enemies are coming close."

"Enemies?" Jimmy asked.

"This is a co-ordinated attack," said Scott. "They're led by some freak named SkullSatamon. Apparently he works for a guy named Daemon. Now then, we have to get to Buckingham Fountain. Jimmy, Julius, _allons-y!"_

Using Gaogamon as a big horse, the trio (plus Kotemon) rode down Michigan Avenue. With Jimmy representing the audience, Scott explained the situation. "So what's going on?" Jimmy asked.

"It was on August 1 when me and some other kids were sucked into this place called the Digital World," he said. "We were paired up with Digimon and we had to find our way back. We fought some guy named Mephistomon. It took some time, but we found a way to work with our Digimon and ended up beating him. However, that wasn't the end of it. Some freaks started attacking us trying to get our Crests—the things that help our Digimon transform into more powerful beings—and we had to fight them off. Then, we found out they were trying to come here to the Real World, so we followed them back."

"Does that have anything to do with what's been going on?" Jimmy asked. "I mean, with all the strange monster attacks, the random darkness and people being taken?"

"Exactly!" said Scott. "We're trying to stop them!"

"So what's going on exactly?"

"We're not entirely sure!" said Julius. "We don't know much about our enemies, they just—" BOOM!

Gaogamon and the trio were thrown several yards. Gaogamon landed near one of the sidewalks and Scott, Jimmy, Julius and Kotemon landed on the opposite sidewalk. "Gaogamon!" Scott shouted.

"What just happened?" Jimmy asked.

"Duh, we were attacked," said Kotemon. An evil laugh alerted them to their opponent.

"How very observant of you!" he said. A skeletal creature lowered down, holding a staff with a yellow orb head. "Thank you, Captain Obvious!"

"Wh-wh-wh-who is that guy?" Jimmy asked.

(Digimon Analyzer)

"Oh, forgive me. Allow me to introduce myself; I'm SkullSatamon, the Ghost Digimon. I use my Bone Blaster to annihilate my enemies!"

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Now then, it's time to say good-bye! Bone Blaster!" SkullSatamon lowered his staff and aimed it at the trio. He fired just as they got out of the way. The blast threw up a good deal of dust and debris, forcing the trio to take cover.

"Dang!" said Julius. "Kotemon, let's—where'd he go?"

"He's fast!" said Scott. "Jimmy, are you okay?"

"I think so," said Jimmy. "That butt-head's gonna pay!"

"That's my little brother," said Scott.

"Guys, where is he?" said Julius. He had his mind on the task at hand. Just then—

"Behind you!" WHACK!

"Julius!" Scott shouted. WHACK!

"JIMMY! SKULLSATAMON, YOU BASTARD!"

"Didn't your momma tell you not to use such language?" SkullSatamon said, pointing the orb right at the frightened kid. However, he put on a determined face and stared SkullSatamon down. "Just give up, kid!"

"Never!" he replied with pure defiance. "A McCarthy _never _gives up!I hold the Crest of Determination! You're not gonna get me to surrender!"

"Big deal!" SkullSatamon said. "Now DIE!"

"I don't think so! GAOGAMON!"

"Got it!" Scott's Crest began to glow and SkullSatamon only just figured things out. "Gaogamon, Digivolve to… MachGaogamon!"

"Whoa!" Jimmy said as MachGaogamon rushed SkullSatamon. Scott picked his little brother up and the two got out of the way just as MachGaogamon crashed into SkullSatamon. Debris and dust were thrown up as Scott shielded Jimmy with his body. "Who is that?"

(Digimon Analyzer)

Scott: "Sorry, but that's MachGaogamon, Gaogamon's Ultimate form. He's fast, faster than a Blackbird jet!"

(End Digimon Analyzer)

"Jimmy, are you okay?" Scott asked.

"I'm not hurting," said Jimmy. Scott sighed, thankful.

"That's good," he said. "Julius, are you okay?"

"Not so sure," he replied.

Meanwhile, MachGaogamon and SkullSatamon had been duking it out above the streets. MachGaogamon gave him a right, then a left hook. But SkullSatamon was dodging them with ease. Then he grabbed MachGaogaomon and threw him into one of the buildings. Shards if glass and pieces of debris rained down on Michigan Avenue and the quartet realized it was time to get out of there.

"Come on, get up!" SkullSatamon taunted. MachGaogamon struggled to get up. He was actually trying to do it slowly; his main objective (at least to him) was to make sure Scott, Jimmy, Julius and Kotemon escaped.

It was working and by now, Scott, Julius and Jimmy had escaped and were running to the Chicago Cultural Center. SkullSatamon was none the wiser. "I'm tired of this!" He said. "Fight me!"

"Got it!" said MachGaogamon, and he crashed right into SkullSatamon. The two fell out of the building and crashed into the street below. Dust and debris was thrown up and SkullSatamon struggled to get out of the crater he was in.

"You fool!" he said, clearly not recognizing the situation he was in. "I'll make you pay for that!" He got back up and pointed his staff at MachGaogamon, who was barely moving. "Now then, when I'm done with you, I'll—wait a minute; where are the DigiDestined?" Three… two… one… "You… BASTARD! You made me let them get away!"

"Of course!" MachGaogamon replied. "Howling… CANNON!" The ultrasonic blast forced SkullSatamon off his feet and back up Michigan Avenue. MachGaogamon chased after him.

"Come on, we're almost there!" Scott shouted to Julius and Jimmy. They were just a block away from the Cultural Center. It was a spot where they could hide and regroup if they needed to. They'd already decided on it in the attack plan. They could taste safety!

"Close, but oh, so far away," a menacing, feminine voice declared. The kids stopped. Their faces showed their fear and apprehension.

"Oh, jeez, LadyDevimon!" said Julius.

"That's right; now don't think you're going anywhere, you little cowards!"

"We are not cowards!" said Jimmy.

"Jimmy!" Scott scolded.

"Insolent little brat!" LadyDevimon declared. "I will have you—" CRASH! Something rammed into LadyDevimon. And she knew exactly who it is. "Damn you, Blondie."

"Don't you dare touch them," AngeWomon said as she descended. Suffice to say, Jimmy was surprised.

"But angels don't exist!" he said.

"She's a Digimon," said Scott. "It's different. But where are—HELEN!"

"Just in time, huh?" Helen called as Aquilamon descended down to the street.

"Thanks a lot!" said Scott. He grabbed Jimmy's hand and the trio ran into the Cultural Center to find some cover.

"I don't think so!" LadyDevimon shouted, but she felt a full-on tackle and was sent careening into the pavement. MachGaogamon landed in front of the trail she left as she struggled to get up. "Don't you know it's wrong to hit a lady?" She asked.

"With you I'll make an exception," MachGaogamon said as Angewomon landed near him.

"Scott, are you—who is this?" Helen asked once she got a sight of Jimmy.

"Sorry," he said. "This is my little bro Jimmy."

"Hi!" Jimmy chiped.

"_Hola_," said Rosa. Jimmy didn't even notice her. The sound of an explosion alerted them to the fight taking place.

"What are you doing, anyway?"

"We're going to hide in the Cultural Center," said Scott.

"It don't think—oh no, run!" SkullSatamon appeared again and was about to slash at Scott, Julius and Jimmy. Luckily,

"GRAND HORN!" Aquilamon rammed into him and he collapsed to the ground. "Go, run!" he said. The kids didn't even need a reason. They just took off in the direction of the Prudential Center. SkullSatamon got back up.

"Bone Blaster!" He called. But Aquilamon flew up and dodged the attack right on time. That's when MachGaogamon rushed in and punched him right in the jaw.

"I wish… we would… stop running… like… sissies!" Jimmy said between pants.

"We just need to get far away," said Scott. But Jimmy took away his hand. Scott stopped and turned around to his little brother. "Jimmy, what's wrong?"

"I don't wanna run!" the 8-year-old shouted. However, a crash behind him changed his mind. "I want my mommy!"

"Then take my hand and let's go!" Scott shouted as he grabbed Jimmy's hand. He pulled him across Randolph Street over to the sidewalk. "MachGaogamon and Angewomon should handle this," he said.

Meanwhile, the battle raged. MachGaogamon pushed SkullSatamon into the pavement, dragging him along. The ghost Digimon howled in agony before MachGaogamon lthrew him into LadyDevimon. The two collided and were sent flying into the pavement near the Millennium Park construction site. Dust and debris were thrown in the air. Angewomon and MachGaogamon did not let up, rushing the baddies and tackling them as soon as they got up.

"You call this a fight?" MachGaogamon taunted, polishing his bicep.

"We could have easily handled Daemon by now," said Angewomon.

But LadyDevimon and Skull Satamon were not done. They got back up and flew at the two. MachGaogamon and Angewomon readied themselves. SkullSatamon thrust his staff at MachGaogamon. The dog-like Digimon grabbed the staff and the two struggled with each other. LadyDevimon thrust he claws at Angewomon. The angelic Digimon blocked and countered with a hard slap to LadyDevimon's face. Across the street and in the air, the DigiDestined cheered the Digimon on. Helen and Rosa probably had the best views.

The fight between MachGaogamon and SkullSatamon was like an aerial fight in _Dragonball Z_. Both of them were throwing punches and kicks at lightning-fast speed. MachGaogamon, of course, was faster. SkullSatamon was more accurate.

MachGaogamon swatted at SkullSatamon with his big mechanical forearms. A "crunch" was heard as SkullSatamon fell to the ground. But MachGaogamon wasn't done. He flew down, waited for SkullSatamon to reach his level. Then, he punched SkullSatamon in the spine. He turned on the jets and flew to SkullSatamon. He'd recovered by now and was aiming his staff at MachGaogamon. "Bone Blaster!" He shouted. But MachGaogamon was too fast.

"Winning Knuckle!" he wound up and punched SkullSatamon in the jaw, sending him hurtling to the ground.

_CRASH!_

SkullSatamon landed in a crater of asphalt and debris right on Michigan Avenue. LadyDevimon was right underneath him. Just wait until the city sees this mess!"

"You want to give up or should we keep up the punishment?" Angewomon taunted as she and MachGaogamon lowered themselves to the ground.

"That's the way, Angewomon!" Rosa shouted from the air.

"Don't give in, MachGaogamon!" shouted Scott.

"Kick his butt!" shouted Jimmy.

"Jim-my!"

"Never!" said SkullSatamon. Suddenly, he got up and flew over to Scott, Jimmy and Julius.

"Kotemon!" Julius shouted.

"Right!" said Kotemon. "Kotemon, Digivolve to… Dinohyumon!" Dinohyumon took SkullSatamon's attack and kept him there. "Go, run, now!" he shouted.

"Let's go!" said Scott. He took Jimmy's hand and dragged him into One Prudential Plaza.

"Out of my way, scum!" SkullSatamon said as he knocked Dinohyumon to the side and chased after Scott, Jimmy and Julius. MachGaogamon and Angewomon chased after him, but LadyDevimon made sure that would not happen.

"Evil Wing!" The dark attack kept the two in place, allowing SkullSatamon to chase the trio.

Luckily, the DigiDestined had a trump card in the skies. "GRAND HORN!" Aquilamon dove, Helen and Rosa holding on for dear life. He flew in and just barely missed LadyDevimon. "Helen, get off my back," he said. "I can Digivolve." Helen nodded her head while Aquilamon set them down.

"Do it, Aquilamon," she said calmly.

"Aquilamon, Digivolve to… Garudamon!"

"Where are you?" SkullSatamon growled as he burst in the building's lobby. But to his surprise, the kids weren't there. But that didn't stop him. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," he said with a sinister tone. "Olly olly oxen free!" Still, nothing. "Ready or not, here I come!" he said.

Speaking of them, they were hiding behind a security desk upstairs. But it was still in view of the lobby. Scott held Jimmy close to him, ever nervous about SkullSatamon. He could feel Jimmy shaking with fear. He knew Jimmy liked to act fearless, but even people who claim to be fearless would be scared now. "Where are you?" SkullSatamon asked. It was almost like he didn't even care about waiting. He had them right where he wanted them.

Scott's heart beat hard in his chest. He felt his chest tighten in nervousness as SkullSatamon got closer. He laughed sadistically. "I know you're in here," he said. "You can't hide forever.

Suddenly, Jimmy whimpered, if only slightly. It was enough for SkullSatamon to barely hear them. Scott clamped his hand over Jimmy's mouth. Strangely enough, SkullSatamon did not try to get them. Instead, he just kept walking past the security desk. But none of the DigiDestined moved. They didn't know if he noticed them or not. Scott kept his hand clamped over Jimmy's mouth.

SkullSatamon growled. He stayed close to the area of the security desk. The DigiDestined scum had to be around here somewhere. The upper levels were closed off. There was no way they could have gotten up there. He suspected the security desk. He was just playing with them to lull them into a false sense of security. Children are so stupid!

Except these kids aren't stupid. Scott kept Jimmy close and Julius kept silent. The sounds of battle could be heard outside, but it was still relatively quiet inside. Julius licked his lips. Then, they heard SkullSatamon come closer. "I know where you are, little kiddies!" A chill ran up Scott's spine and bones. Jimmy's eyes widened while Julius got closer to the wall. SkullSatamon chuckled evilly as he got closer to the desk. "You can run, but you can't hide!" he taunted. "Prepare to—"

_SMASH!_

Scott looked up. He got out from under the desk and looked out. Something burst through the glass doors (they were off their hinges and on the floor) and tackled SkullSatamon. He didn't have to guess who did it. He sat back down under the desk. "We're safe," he said. "MachGaogamon did it."

"That's good," said Julius. "Hey, is he okay?"

"Jimmy, are you okay?" Scott asked.

"Of course I'm okay!" He replied. At that moment, Scott started to laugh. "What's so funny?" Jimmy asked.

"You were such a scaredy-cat!" said Scott.

"Nuh-uh!" Jimmy retorted.

"Why are you laughing?" Julius asked.

"Cuz he's always like this," said Scott. "He says he's not 'fraid of anyone!"

"I'm not a scaredy-cat!" said Jimmy.

"Yeah, but can you be more careful?" Scott asked. "I don't wanna see you get hurt, specially not after…" he trailed off. Julius looked concerned.

"What?" he asked.

"Jimmy almost died in July," said Scott. "We were playing catch when I threw the ball into the street by accident. Jimmy ran into the street and almost got hit by a car. I only saw my mom getting angry and I saw Jimmy just miss the car. My mom yelled at me for an hour."

"Scottie, that car missed me!" said Jimmy.

"I know it did," said Scott. For an 11-year-old, he's pretty mature. "But mom and dad want me to protect you. I don't wanna see you get hurt." He rubbed Jimmy's hair, much to his little brother's annoyance.

"You're a good brother Scott," said Julius. "I just wish I had a brother."

"You can ask your mom for one," said Jimmy."

"Jim-my!"

"Scott," said Jimmy. "How did you meet Gaomon?" Scott sighed, laying his head back on the metal of the desk.

"I fell into the Digital World," he said. "I think it was two days ago. "I musta been playing soccer when I found a Digivice—"

"Digivice?"

"It's this thingie," Scott said, as he showed his Digivice. "I found it in the yard. Then, I was sucked into the Digi World! I think Wanyamon—Gaomon's In-Training form, woke me up when I was on the ground. But, maybe I met Gaomon before."

"What?" Jimmy asked.

"Remember that night I was trying to hide something?" Scott asked. Jimmy nodded, but only slightly. "It was a Wanyamon. An egg popped out of dad's computer and it hatched. I had to try and hide it from mom and dad, but Wanyamon ran out the door and Digivolved into Gaomon and got into a fight with a Candlemon. Then it Digivolved again. I don't remember what else happened, though."

"We met Digimon before," said Julius. "I found a Kotemon in my dad's house and he went back to the Digital World, where these monsters live. We have these things called Crests that allow our Digimon to Digivolve. I have the Crest of Honor."

"He's one of our best," said Scott. "I'm the leader."

"We have to rely on each other," said Julius, putting his hand on Scott's shoulder. "We've fought side by side, we can't lose." The two pumped their fist. "Everyone depends on each other. I think we've grown since we've met out Digimon. I used to be a brat, but, I think I'm a better person now."

"I think Rosa was worse," Scott laughed. "As for me, I was a little unsure of myself. But, I'm confident we can win this battle."

"You're the best Scottie," said Jimmy, a smile on his face. Scott smiled, too.

"Thanks bro," he said, rubbing Jimmy's hair.

Just then, they heard footsteps coming closer. They sank back into the area underneath the desk. Scott held Jimmy close. He bit his lip and waited for the footsteps to come close. Then, they stopped. "What are you guys going under there?" A familiar voice asked.

"Helen!" Scott said excitedly. He jumped up from underneath the desk. "How did you find us?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked. "You guys are such scaredy-cats."

"We are not!" said Jimmy. He and Julius emerged from the desk while Scott climbed over it.

"What's going on out there?" He asked.

"The Digimon have things under control," said Helen.

"_Hola_," Rosa said flirtingly to Jimmy. However, Jimmy didn't notice it.

"We coulda handled him!" said Jimmy.

"I'll bet you could," Helen laughed.

"_Me llamo Rosa_," she said again, flirting with Jimmy. "_Tu es bonito_."

"What's she saying?" Jimmy asked.

"She's saying you're nice," Scott said, hiding the real meaning. "Come on, let's go."

"Scott, your brother's adorable," said Helen. _And so are you_.

"Gee, thanks," he replied, rubbing the back of his head under the helmet.

"What's going on?" Jimmy asked. Helen froze and blushed, but Scott didn't notice. Julius pulled Jimmy close.

"Helen likes Scott," he whispered.

"Don't say anything!" Helen yelled. Scott watched in confusion and kept walking.

Soon they were back outside in the sun. The area was clear. None of the Digimon were anywhere to be seen. "Where are they?" Julius asked.

"Keep your eyes peeled," said Scott. He suspected something. He wasn't sure what it was, but it didn't seem good. He looked around. This was weird. "I think—AH!" Something knocked him, Julius, Rosa and Helen to the ground. The sound of cackling could be heard behind them.

"LadyDevimon," said Helen.

"Don't you know you how to be vigilant?" She asked. "By the way, thanks for the present." To everyone's horror, she held up—

"JIMMY!" Scott shouted.

"Scottie, help!" Jimmy wailed as he thrashed around in LadyDevimon's grip.

"Ah, I see you have an attachment to him," she said. "I take it he's your brother?"

"You let him go, right now!" Scott yelled as he got up and charged LadyDevimon. But he was held back by a familiar bony hand.

"Ah-ah-ah, it's not nice to hit a lady," said SkullSatamon. "If you think your Digimon can help you, forget it. They're in no condition to fight."

"Let me go, you walking skeleton!" Scott shouted.

"Huh, insolent little—AH!" Jimmy opened his mouth and chomped down on LadyDevimon's arm. She dropped him and he ran away.

"JIMMY, RUN!" Scott shouted. "Where are our Digimon?"

"Right here," SkullSatamon replied, tossing Gaomon, Hawkmon, Kotemon and Gatamon in front of them.

"Oh no, Gaomon!" Scott said, trying to get his partner to wake up. "What happened?"

"_I _happened," a sinister voice said. With SkullSatamon and LadyDevimon smirking, there could only be one conclusion as to who it was. "Your Digimon were no match for me."

"Daemon," said Julius.

Jimmy stopped in his tracks as a portal of darkness opened up in Randolph Street. A winged figure in a burgundy cloak emerged from the portal. Jimmy back away, his legs shaking in fear. "JIMMY, RUN!" Scott shouted. But Jimmy was too terrified to run. And not even when Daemon reached out and grabbed him by the collar, could he escape. "JIMMYY!" Scott shouted.

"You and your friends have been in my way for too long," said Daemon. "Now I will make you pay."

"You coward!" Scott shouted, trying to break free from SkullSatamon's grasp. "He's just a kid, and he doesn't have a Digimon!"

"I've grown tired of your insolence," said Daemon. "So I shall punish you by punishing _him._" With that, he went back into his portal. SkullSatamon threw Scott to the ground. He could only watch as Jimmy was taken away.

"Give me back my little brother!" he said, his face showing despair. Then, Daemon disappeared. Tears ran down his face. "N-no, no, no, _**JIIIMMYYYYYYYYYY!**_"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

To be continued


End file.
